Ancient Coin Hunter

Link: kids of the Valerian extended family, bro of Saloninus Valerian II, AR antoninianus, 23 mm 4.2 grams Struck: 257-258, Cologne. Obverse: VALERIANVS CAES, radiate, draped bust right Reverse: IOVI CRESCENTI, the child Jupiter sitting right on the goat Amalthea, looking left, right hand raised, left hand holding the goat's horn. Reference: RIC 3 (Lyons); Cohen 26 (Saloninus); Elmer 67a; Goebl 0907e; Sear 10731.

Link: Snake NERVA 96-98 C.E. Billon Tetradrachm 25mm, 12.7 grams, mint of Alexandria year 96-97 Obverse: Bust of Nerva facing right, KAIS SEB AVT NEPOVAS Reverse: Agathodaemon serpent coiled with head right, holding caduceus and grain ear within coils, wearing the crowns of Upper and Lower Egypt. In exergue, LA. Reference: Milne 542, Dattari 638 This coin is listed as "rare".

I have bought some from Zurqieh I have so far stayed away from the sandy types. One has to acknowledge, being in the Middle East, that he has a large inventory of coins of Roman Egypt, including billon tetradrachms, and seems to be the most thorough outlet in the trade assuming coins found in Egypt make their way into his hands via Aqaba or whatever. In my somewhat thorough travels in Egypt and Jordan I have never seen any coins for sale locally though presumably they are found all the time by farmers and villagers as the ruins of Greco-Roman cities (the asar they are called in Arabic "monuments") are everywhere.

Excellent research and an elegant hypothesis. Very cool. I have two Probi and this is the best one (avatar coin, too) Probus 276-282 C.E. Obv: Helmeted, spear and shield toting bust left VIRTVS PROBI AVG Rev: Sol standing left with upraised arm, globe in left hand, nude but for chamlys CONSERVAT AVG Ticinum mint Ref: RIC 351; Cohen 199. Sear 11969. Note: This exact type also appears on aureii of Ticinum according to Wildwinds, reported as CONSERVAT AVG however the illustrative example bears the reverse legend ORIENS AVG

When I was a kid and just starting out in collecting I went to a coin shop which had a pick bin of coins for $2 each - most had sandy patinas and were Constantinian and his sons with some Licinii as I recall. I don't know if in circa 1980 there were many folks applying artificial patinas at $2 bucks a pop. Probably not. Right now I can think of two dealers known for fake desert patina applications but I won't mention names.....anyway worth thinking about

Link: Chi Rho Arcadius AE2, Antioch mint, 383-408 C.E. 23mm 5.7 grams Obv: Pearl diademed, draped and cuirassed but of emperor right DN ARCADIVS P F AVG Rev: Emperor holding labarum emblazoned with the Chi-Rho, globe in right hand GLORIA ROMANORVM RIC IV Antioch 68f

I missed out on how old it was.....

Wow, what an amazing find. Enough to purchase 500 sheep which would have made one a wealthy man at the time. Interestingly it doubles the amount of Harold coins known to exist!!! Last but not least, here is the accompanying tapestry from the period...showing the comet which was an omen of Harold's downfall..."They wonder at the star"

Nacrasa - Side PAMPHYLIA. Side. Caracalla, 198-217. Pentassarion (?) (Bronze, 30 mm, 17.51 g, 1 h). Obv. AY K M AY CEY ANTΩNЄINOC Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust of Caracalla to right; above, star; on cheek, countermark: Є within circular incuse. Rev. CIΔH/TΩΝ The river-god Melas reclining left, holding pomegranate tree in his right hand and leaning left on urn from which water flows. SNG Paris -. SNG PFPS 699. SNG von Aulock -. For countermark, Howgego 803. Very rare. Areas of weakness, otherwise, about very fine.

Maximinus was emperor from 235 to 238 C.E. Born of Thracian origin – giving the nickname "Thrax" ("the Thracian"), he rose up through the military ranks, ultimately holding high command in the army of the Rhine under Emperor Severus Alexander. After Severus was murdered in 235, he was proclaimed emperor by the army, beginning the Crisis of the Third Century. Apocryphally he was a shepherd by trade noticed by Septimius Severus because of his powerful physique and height while on the march. Given the chance to join the Roman army if he could defeat the strongest legionary in wrestling, he prevailed and was mustered into the army and rose through the ranks to become a legionary tribune and powerful general. AR Denarius, 3.1 grams 21 mm, Rome mint Obv: IMP MAXIMINVS PIVS AVG, Laureate, draped and cuirassed bust right Rev: FIDES MILITVM, Fides standing left holding two legionary standards

I just got back from a four day trip to the Bay Area. A good chance to reconnect with folks and take care of some unfinished business. We even headed out to the Marin Headlands on New Year's Day but alas there was no parking anywhere. 65 degrees F and balmy. I also agree an off topic subforum would be useful. For example I am a Co-Administrator on a popular astronomy forum which does have an active off topic subforum where most topics save religion and present day politics are allowed. The only issue which came up once was our COVID 19 subforum in the off-topic forum which became overly politicized and had to be shut down...

Antioch mint which might explain a slightly different metallic content than Rome. RIC 213 RSC 167 Gordian III AR Antoninianus. Antioch Mint. IMP GORDIANVS PIVS FEL AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust right / ORIENS AVG, Sol standing left, holding globe and raising right hand. I believe it to be authentic

Julia Domna (193-211 C.E.) AR Denarius approx. 3 grams Obverse: Coiffed head right IVLIA AVGVSTA Reverse: Isis suckling the Infant Horus SAECVLI FELICITAS Next: Julia as MATER CASTRORVM or Cybele

Link: Globe Constantius II 337-361 C.E. AE 3 of Antioch DN CONSTAN - TIVS P F AVG, diademed draped and cuirassed bust right FEL TEMP REPARATIO, Radiate Phoenix on star studded globe, additional star in right field Reference: RIC VIII 129

Didius Julianus...just sayin'

Looks like you wrote down the same paragraph twice...re: the first coin has a bull reverse, just noticed it

Link: Roma Maxentius, 306-312 A.D. Type: AE Follis, Rome mint (probably) 308-310 A.D. Obverse: Laureate head of Maxentius right, IMP C MAXENTIVS P F AVG Reverse: Roma seated facing left, holding orb, in hexastyle temple with peaked roof, wreath in pediment, CONSERV VRB SVAE Reference: RIC 210; Sear 14987

Gordian III, Um ...AMC Gremlin Julian II

If I were in NY I would go. I may go to an SF Numismatic Bourse coming up in 2024. I will be making quarterly trips to San Francisco this year with the first one coming up on New Year's day.

Link: Gallienus, (253-268 C.E.), joint reign with Valerian AE Sestertius, 26mm 15 grams, chipped or squared off flan Obverse: IMP C P LIC GALLIENVS P F AVG, Laureate and cuirassed bust right Reverse: FIDES MILITVM S-C, Fides holding two legionary standards References: RIC 214 Cohen 240, Göbl 74s.

Nice procession of coins. The Romanus and Leo VI coins stand out. It appears that for a brief time there was a significant improvement in style and fabric, when compared with earlier and later issues. It may have had something to do with the contemporaneous artistic revival and increasing wealth and power of the empire as the Abbasids in Baghdad started to fade a bit. Here's my Leo VI

Here is the most recent which you may recall as I posted it last week. The trick with these coins is locating examples which have a clear and unworn face of Christ. These tend to command a premium in the market. As you can see below with the second coin Christ's face is worn as is normally the case. Anonymous Folle, time of Romanus IV, circa 1068-1071. Follis (Bronze, 26 mm, 9.69 g, 5 h), Constantinopolis. Nimbate bust of Christ facing, wearing tunic and pallium, raising his right hand in benediction and holding book of Gospels in his left; in fields, IC - XC. Rev. Nimbate bust of the Virgin Mary facing, orans, wearing pallium and maphorium; in fields MHP - ΘV. DOC Class G. SB 1867. Some deposits, otherwise, very fine. And another from the collection: Romanus III or Michael IV A.D. 1028-1041 AE Anonymous Follis, 28mm, 12.7 grams Obverse: EMMANOVHL, facing bust of Christ, wearing nimbus cruciger, pallium and colobium, holding gospels with both hands, to left IC, to right XC Reverse: Cross on three steps with pellet at each extremity, in fields IS-XS/BAS-ILE/ BAS-ILE (Jesus Christ, King of Kings) Reference: SBCV 1823

Good. I need a Quietus, this reminds me.

LINK: Apollo Gordian III (238-244 C.E.) AR Antoninianus, 23 mm, 4.6 grams, Clear Centered Strike on Large Flan Obv: Radiate, Draped and Cuirassed Bust Right Rev: Apollo seated on Chair holding Lyre and Laurel Tree Branch

Very interesting coin. Nice acquisition and thanks for sharing.